Today's Edition
Tokyo (AFP)
Japan's next prime minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday outlined his ideas to reshape the nation's miliary alliance with Washington, after winning the ruling party's leadership race.
The seasoned 67-year-old former defence minister beat Sanae Takaichi -- who would have been the country's first-ever woman leader -- in the final round.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed almost uninterrupted for decades and holds a majority, meaning Ishiba will be elected premier by parliament on Tuesday.
In a press conference on Friday, Ishiba vowed to restore confidence in the party.
"Japan wants to fulfil our proactive responsibility and start discussions about how to build peace in this region," he said when asked about his proposals for an Asian NATO.
He said he wanted to call a snap election to shore up his mandate "as soon as possible" but declined to say when.
Ishiba will be named prime minister in parliament next Tuesday, replacing Fumio Kishida.
Security challenges
Ishiba had come close to the top job before, including in 2012 when he lost to Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving leader who was later assassinated.
The military model-maker with an affinity for 1970s pop idols says his experience tackling tough issues, such as agriculture reforms, makes him qualified to lead.
"I have worked on national security matters for a long time and I will be committed to protecting Japan's territory," he said.
Yen surges
At home, Ishiba will be tasked with breathing life into the economy, as the central bank moves away from decades of monetary easing that has slashed the value of the yen.
Ishiba supports the Bank of Japan's exit from its unorthodox ultra-loose policies, and the Japanese currency surged after Friday's result.
He has also pledged to revitalise rural regions and proposes creating a government agency for disaster prevention.
